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Qi-Shao-Shuang-Gan, a Combination of Astragalus membranaceus Saponins with Paeonia lactiflora Glycosides, Ameliorates Polymicrobial Sepsis Induced by Cecal Ligation and Puncture in Mice

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Abstract

The present study was performed to investigate the anti-septic effects of Qi-Shao-Shuang-Gan (QSSG), a combination of Astragalus membranaceus saponins (SAM) and Paeonia lactiflora glycosides (GPL), in septic mice induced by cecal ligation and puncture. QSSG was shown to elevate the survival rate of mice, decrease infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes into livers and lungs, lower serum levels of myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide, and lactate dehydrogenase, and decrease mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and interleukin-1β in livers. It also restored the impaired expressions of protein C (PC) mRNA in mouse livers and expressions of thrombomodulin and endothelial PC receptor mRNA in endothelial cells. Neither SAM nor GPL alone could significantly increase the survival rate of septic mice. The findings indicate that QSSG exerts protective action against polymicrobial sepsis by inhibiting systemic inflammatory response and upregulating PC pathway, and there are synergistic effects between SAM and GPL.

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Abbreviations

QSSG:

Qi-Shao-Shuang-Gan

SAM:

Astragalus membranaceus saponins

GPL:

Paeonia lactiflora glycosides

CLP:

cecal ligation and puncture

MPO:

myeloperoxidase

NO:

nitric oxide

LDH:

lactate dehydrogenase

iNOS:

inducible nitric oxide synthase

IL-1β:

interleukin-1β

PC:

protein C

PMN:

polymorphonuclear leukocytes

TM:

thrombomodulin

EPCR:

endothelial PC receptor

ALT:

alanine aminotransferase

AST:

aspartate aminotransferase

LPS:

lipopolysaccharide

H&E:

hematoxylin and eosin

w/d:

wet-to-dry weight ratio

RT-PCR:

reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction

HUVECs:

human umbilical vein endothelial cells

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 30600821), the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (no. 050431004), and the Postgraduate Innovation Project of Jiangsu Province.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang Road, Nanjing, 210009, China

    Xing-hua Gao, Xian-xiang Xu, Rong Pan, Chong Wang, Rong Sheng & Yue Dai

  2. Department of Chinese Materia Medica Analysis, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China

    Yu-feng Xia

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  1. Xing-hua Gao
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Correspondence to Yue Dai.

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Gao, Xh., Xu, Xx., Pan, R. et al. Qi-Shao-Shuang-Gan, a Combination of Astragalus membranaceus Saponins with Paeonia lactiflora Glycosides, Ameliorates Polymicrobial Sepsis Induced by Cecal Ligation and Puncture in Mice. Inflammation 34, 10–21 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10753-010-9202-7

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